282 Hafizes in BiH Know the Quran by Heart

The Islamic Community of Bosnia and Herzegovina currently has 282 hafizes registered. A. Muhamed Šerbi from the Religious-Educational Service of the IC of BiH told the Patria News Agency that the number of people in BiH who know the holy book of the Quran by heart is much higher.

- Many hafizes living in BiH memorized the Quran in other countries, and when they returned to BiH, they did not seek to verify their knowledge with the institutions of the IC of BiH, so they are not in our registry of hafizes. Also, there are many who have memorized the Quran but have never officially done so before the Rijaset commission, so we do not have them in our registers either – says Šerbi.

The number of hafizes in BiH has been steadily increasing in recent years. For example, in 2007, 18 hafizes memorized the Quran, and in the following years, even fewer. However, this number has been much higher in the last three years. Two years ago, 24 hafizes memorized the Quran, last year 27 hafizes received diplomas, while in the first six months of this year alone, 15 candidates successfully memorized the Quran before the commission of the IC of BiH.

- Of these 15 candidates, ten are women. The number of female hafizes in our country is increasing every year – explains Šerbi.

The youngest hafiz in BiH is currently Ahmed Hamidović from Sarajevo, who is 14 years old. A few years earlier, the youngest hafiz was Haris Čorbo from Breza, who memorized the Quran at the age of nine.

Šerbi explains that the Islamic Community of BiH has prepared a project for the construction of four large centers for learning the Quran. One will be located in Sarajevo, one in central Bosnia, then in Krajina, and one is already operating in Mostar.

Practice has shown that high school students learn the Quran best, working with a muhafiz – a mentor, and after memorizing the Quran, they take an exam that lasts about 15 days before a professional commission of the IC of BiH.

- It is a comprehensive and responsible job, which you must continue to do even after becoming a hafiz, so as not to forget the Quran – say the hafizes, writes Patria.